Holy Cross Receives $2 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment

The College of the Holy Cross is one of 28 colleges and universities in the country to receive a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., to create or enhance programs enabling young people to draw upon the resources of religious wisdom as they consider their vocational choices.

Holy Cross will receive a $2 million grant - its largest-ever foundation grant - to support a project to advance its Jesuit mission to educate students for lives of commitment and service.

The multi-layered initiative will:

1) teach the habits of spiritual and vocational reflection to all students through first-year orientation, retreats, convocations and other events; 2) revise current courses and develop new ones to incorporate vocational themes; 3) train faculty in the practices of vocational discernments; and 4) provide opportunities for students to explore church ministry through internships, mentoring programs and spiritual retreats.

"As a Jesuit institution, Holy Cross seeks to educate 'men and women for others,'" says Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president. "This most generous grant will allow us to infuse this vital ideal into every aspect of life at Holy Cross-classroom, chapel, office, studio, laboratory, residence hall-and better prepare members of the Holy Cross community for meaningful lives that serve the common good."

The Holy Cross proposal arose from consultation with a cross-section of faculty, staff and students. Focus groups of graduates of the College active in business, the professions, social service, public service and ministry also offered advice. Many argued that creative plans to deepen vocational formation reflected well the College's historic commitment to the integration of faith and learning and its continuing experience of Jesuit spirituality.

Craig Dykstra, vice president for religion at the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, says, "It is clear that these schools thought through their missions and strengths and that they were very intentional in devising these proposals."

"The caliber of proposals was outstanding, and it is obvious that all these schools thought seriously and productively about how to encourage young people to consider questions of faith and commitment as they choose their careers," says Dykstra.

Founded in 1937, Lilly Endowment is a private family foundation that follows its founders' wishes by supporting the causes of religion, community development and education.